A plague doctor fled after his 12-year-old son contracted measles while at a pediatrician, but he was later diagnosed with a pneumonia that left him with severe respiratory problems, including a blood clot in his lung.
A statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Health said the doctor left the hospital Monday after receiving an urgent call about the boy’s illness.
The child has since been released from the hospital and is recovering, according to the statement.
The family was at the Philadelphia-area pediatrician’s office Monday when the child’s condition became more serious.
The doctor was in his office when the boy came in, according a hospital spokeswoman.
The boy’s father was diagnosed with pneumonia and transferred to a hospital in Pennsylvania, but is recovering in a Philadelphia hospital, according the statement from Pennsylvania Department to Health.
The Department of Public Health has said a person who was hospitalized and later recovered is contagious for 24 hours after their symptoms appear.
The state does not classify measles as a public health emergency.